I started S nearly a year ago and just got around to finishing it. I have to say: it is one of the most intriguing novels I have ever personally read.
The plot of this whole project (I hesitate to call it merely a "book") is this: think of leaving a treasured book on a library rack by accident one day, to pick it up the next only to find someone had written in it, admiring your notes from when you were 16. Not only this, but this particular book was written by a man with a mysterious past. He never revealed to the world who he really was. This is the premise of S.
There are two connected stories taking place: the book itself is called "the Ship of Thesus," written by V.M. Straka. Straka's past is veiled but there are clues to his identity from various people, including the translator of "Ship" who also writes footnotes throughout the book (that are also threaded with codes). The book reads like a normal book, but in the margins are pen marks from two different individuals talking back and forth between each other. One is disgraced graduate student Eric, who's work was stolen by a professor and who claimed he was a fraud. He prints in block letters that are easily discernible. The other is Jen, an undergraduate student who is struggling admidst the pressures of school and life. She writes in a cursive scrawl that is sometimes hard to read. They write to each other about the solving the mystery of Straka, point out poetic lines and relate them to their lives, their parents, their backgrounds, meeting up, school, love, etc. all of this is made even more confusing because they write in different colors that represent different times. At first, Jen writes in a blue ink and Eric black. About half way, you start seeing gold (Jen) and green (Eric). Towards the end you see red (Eric) and purple (Jen). Last, you see black and black. Finally, this is not a conventional book in one other way: throughout their time corresponding together, they communicate also by including various items into the book. There are newspaper clippings, a strange device (that I
haven't figured out yet) that seems to be some kind of de-coder, postcards (Eric goes to Brazil at one point), pictures, longer notes about their lives, etc. These are all inserted and made reference to in the margins.
Ship of Thesus is essentially about a man who wakes up and cannot remember his past at all. He is simply known as "S." He meets up with various people throughout his travels, figuring out who he is and more importantly, trying to reconnect with a woman he see's and feels pulled towards. Her name is "Sola." He finds himself in the middle of a chase after a bomb explodes, only to jump into the sea and onto a strange ship. The ship's crew has an odd air to them, made worse by the fact that they all have their mouths sewed shut. They communicate by a whistle. The ship's captain, Maelstrom, is the only one who talks (not very well I might add). There is much more about the plot that I do not want to reveal, but suffice it to say S becomes involved in an organization that has vast implications for Jen
and Eric as their families and lives become endangered. Somehow it is all connected in an incredible
interplay that reminds me of the complexity of an orchestral masterpiece.
In short, this book is crazy. There a websites out there dedicated to carrying on the questions of the book, like this one that also features a "how to read guide." This is a book that will probably leave you more questions than answers how ever. JJ Abrams urged the readers to "dig deep." What is most confusing is trying to figure out wha to read. Do you read the book first and then go back and read the drama between Eric and Jen? Or do you try to do it all at once? I tried the latter because I just don't have the time to read all of that twice. Further, you REALLY have to dig in this book. It ends with as much mystery as it began with. As you may see from the linked website, there are a lot of theories on what the resolution is. This can be a little frustrating but for our detectives out there, this might be a welcomed challenge. One more note about the book: the characters that surround Straka are often times of a heritage that is not American. This sometimes is confusing because you have all these strange words and no recollection of who is who. I must pay more attention the second read!
Please pick this book up. It is truly ingenious. Can you go wrong with JJ Abrams? (I guess we will see next December!)
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Friday, December 12, 2014
39 - Visions Of America: A History Of The United States, Volume I, Jennifer Keene, Saul Cornell, and Edward O'Donnell, 436 pages
This September, I took an American History class. It was.. interesting. I think I like history and I have come to accept that fact by adding a minor in history to my degree. My American History class was just one of the classes needed for my minor. And, conveniently, I just had to read a book to complete it. So I decided to add it to my 52 books list.
American History is unique in a couple of different ways. Most obviously, American history does not stretch for thousands and thousands of years like the Chinese with one solidified culture that has been built around it. The indigenous people who were here before us, Native Americans, have a consistent culture, but with immigration of Europeans from the East, they brought over their own cultures, customs, and religious beliefs. But things don't get really interesting until the Revolutionary War, where the American colonists revolted against their British masters.
An interesting note is that the colonists really didn't have anything to complain about. The Stamp Act was so miniscule that it hardly affected daily life. It was the fact that the colonists weren't represented that really boiled their blood. Further, I think the romantic visions of colonization and subsequent sidestep of the King united the colonists, because fighting the Revolutionary War was not a pleasant experience. George Washington's army barely won following the harsh winter at Valley Forge. But they found a way against the odds to defend against their British overlords.
This American History book covers just up to the events that followed the Civil War. So there is a lot to say in between. Suffice it to say that my most favorite section was on the Revolutionary War. Sure, there was the Barbary Wars with Thomas Jefferson, Jeffersonian ideology, The Spanish-American War, the Civil War and others. But the brilliance of the founding fathers in the construction of our Represented Republic system are too powerful to spend just one semester on.
This book reads like a textbook and in reality, was pretty dry. There were these boxes that looked at particular situations in depth that I thought took away from the text. If it was important enough to look at closer, why not just include it in the dialogue? It seems the writers did whatever they could to "spice" up a textbook, but they failed miserably in their task. I would not recommend this book unless you are taking a class that requires it!
American History is unique in a couple of different ways. Most obviously, American history does not stretch for thousands and thousands of years like the Chinese with one solidified culture that has been built around it. The indigenous people who were here before us, Native Americans, have a consistent culture, but with immigration of Europeans from the East, they brought over their own cultures, customs, and religious beliefs. But things don't get really interesting until the Revolutionary War, where the American colonists revolted against their British masters.
An interesting note is that the colonists really didn't have anything to complain about. The Stamp Act was so miniscule that it hardly affected daily life. It was the fact that the colonists weren't represented that really boiled their blood. Further, I think the romantic visions of colonization and subsequent sidestep of the King united the colonists, because fighting the Revolutionary War was not a pleasant experience. George Washington's army barely won following the harsh winter at Valley Forge. But they found a way against the odds to defend against their British overlords.
This American History book covers just up to the events that followed the Civil War. So there is a lot to say in between. Suffice it to say that my most favorite section was on the Revolutionary War. Sure, there was the Barbary Wars with Thomas Jefferson, Jeffersonian ideology, The Spanish-American War, the Civil War and others. But the brilliance of the founding fathers in the construction of our Represented Republic system are too powerful to spend just one semester on.
This book reads like a textbook and in reality, was pretty dry. There were these boxes that looked at particular situations in depth that I thought took away from the text. If it was important enough to look at closer, why not just include it in the dialogue? It seems the writers did whatever they could to "spice" up a textbook, but they failed miserably in their task. I would not recommend this book unless you are taking a class that requires it!
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
38 - The Last Stand Of Fox Company: A True Story Of U.S. Marines In Combat, Tom Calvin, 355 pages
When I was at the School of Music in Virginia Beach, Virginia, I took special liberty to Texas to go to my good friends wedding. I had a layover in Charlotte, North Carolina and sat down (exhausted) next to a young man. On the ground he had a book that he was reading through entitled, "The Last Stand of Fox Company" with this iconic image in it. I turned to him and asked, "are you a Marine?" Turns out, he was also on his way to Texas for a wedding, and he was a Marine Aviation Officer. When the stewardess (who saw me clutching my big browed white cover in my hand) realized I was a Marine, she told me to get up and sit in first class. I resisted at first, looking to the higher ranking individual next to me. With a nod, he smiled and said, "go ahead!" I sat in first class for the first and only time that day. The best part of the story is I left my saxophone back in the bin above my seat. As I was waiting for people to vacate the aircraft to return to claim my saxophone, I saw the man lumbering forward, weighed down by my saxophone!
Ever since that encounter, I have always wanted to read "The Last Stand Of Fox Company." This year, I finally got it and read it some time ago (I thought I had already written a book review but I guess I was wrong!).
In the 1950's, the United States went to war when the North Koreans crossed the 38th parallel into South Korea. At first, the North Koreans pushed the US and Korean forces deep into South Korea, before the famous daring puncture into North Korean lines, by way of the Chosin Reservoir, made them retreat. The United States Forces then went on the offensive, chasing them deeper and deeper into North Korea. But the Marines encountered an unknown enemy along the way: reinforcements that were wearing garments that the Marines had never seen before. The Chinese, under the command of Mao Zedong (whom I read a biography about here) came to the rescue of the North Korean's.
This sets the stage for the heroic acts of Fox Company. They were charged to hold Toktong Pass in the cruel Korean winter. They hunkered down in defensive positions, under the command of Captain William Barber. Little did they know they were surrounded by perhaps over 100,000 Chinese soldiers.
The book details the harrowing accounts of each of the hellish nights Fox Company spent defending Toktong Pass. They not only had to battle the Koreans and the Chinese, but also the cold: at night time, the temperature plummeted into the negatives. Battle Worn and running low on men to defend the pass, I thought one of the most interesting aspects of the fight was the reinforcements attached to Fox Company. They recruited members of the Headquarters Battalion (cooks, postal Marines, etc.) to help the grunts. This is possible because all Marines are riflemen and are able to answer the call of duty when the time comes.
The most notable member of Fox Company was one Private Cafferata. On the first night, the Chinese attacked relentlessly and the members of Fox Company had to repel their offensive. Cafferata batted down grenades during the skirmish, all the while protecting wounded Marines, and singlehandedly held the line. Captain Barber in the book mused the next day that Cafferata must have killed 60 Chinese, although he is only credited with 15. I have included the citation from his Medal of Honor:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Rifleman with Company F, Second Battalion, Seventh Marines, First Marine Division(Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on 28 November 1950. When all other members of his fire team became casualties, creating a gap in the lines, during the initial phase of a vicious attack launched by a fanatical enemy of regimental strength against his company's hill position, Private Cafferata waged a lone battle with grenades and rifle fire as the attack gained momentum and the enemy threatened penetration through the gap and endangered the integrity of the entire defensive perimeter. Making a target of himself under the devastating fire from automatic weapons, rifles, grenades and mortars, he maneuvered up and down the line and delivered accurate and effective fire against the onrushing force, killing fifteen, wounding many more and forcing the others to withdraw so that reinforcements could move up and consolidate the position. Again fighting desperately against a renewed onslaught later that same morning when a hostile grenade landed in a shallow entrenchment occupied by wounded Marines, Private Cafferata rushed into the gully under heavy fire, seized the deadly missile in his right hand and hurled it free of his comrades before it detonated, severing part of one finger and seriously wounding him in the right hand and arm. Courageously ignoring the intense pain, he staunchly fought on until he was struck by a sniper's bullet and forced to submit to evacuation for medical treatment. Stouthearted and indomitable, Private Cafferata, by his fortitude, great personal valor and dauntless perseverance in the face of almost certain death, saved the lives of several of his fellow Marines and contributed essentially to the success achieved by his company in maintaining its defensive position against tremendous odds. His extraordinary heroism throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Harry S. Truman
President of the United States
Ever since that encounter, I have always wanted to read "The Last Stand Of Fox Company." This year, I finally got it and read it some time ago (I thought I had already written a book review but I guess I was wrong!).
In the 1950's, the United States went to war when the North Koreans crossed the 38th parallel into South Korea. At first, the North Koreans pushed the US and Korean forces deep into South Korea, before the famous daring puncture into North Korean lines, by way of the Chosin Reservoir, made them retreat. The United States Forces then went on the offensive, chasing them deeper and deeper into North Korea. But the Marines encountered an unknown enemy along the way: reinforcements that were wearing garments that the Marines had never seen before. The Chinese, under the command of Mao Zedong (whom I read a biography about here) came to the rescue of the North Korean's.
This sets the stage for the heroic acts of Fox Company. They were charged to hold Toktong Pass in the cruel Korean winter. They hunkered down in defensive positions, under the command of Captain William Barber. Little did they know they were surrounded by perhaps over 100,000 Chinese soldiers.
The book details the harrowing accounts of each of the hellish nights Fox Company spent defending Toktong Pass. They not only had to battle the Koreans and the Chinese, but also the cold: at night time, the temperature plummeted into the negatives. Battle Worn and running low on men to defend the pass, I thought one of the most interesting aspects of the fight was the reinforcements attached to Fox Company. They recruited members of the Headquarters Battalion (cooks, postal Marines, etc.) to help the grunts. This is possible because all Marines are riflemen and are able to answer the call of duty when the time comes.
The most notable member of Fox Company was one Private Cafferata. On the first night, the Chinese attacked relentlessly and the members of Fox Company had to repel their offensive. Cafferata batted down grenades during the skirmish, all the while protecting wounded Marines, and singlehandedly held the line. Captain Barber in the book mused the next day that Cafferata must have killed 60 Chinese, although he is only credited with 15. I have included the citation from his Medal of Honor:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Rifleman with Company F, Second Battalion, Seventh Marines, First Marine Division(Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on 28 November 1950. When all other members of his fire team became casualties, creating a gap in the lines, during the initial phase of a vicious attack launched by a fanatical enemy of regimental strength against his company's hill position, Private Cafferata waged a lone battle with grenades and rifle fire as the attack gained momentum and the enemy threatened penetration through the gap and endangered the integrity of the entire defensive perimeter. Making a target of himself under the devastating fire from automatic weapons, rifles, grenades and mortars, he maneuvered up and down the line and delivered accurate and effective fire against the onrushing force, killing fifteen, wounding many more and forcing the others to withdraw so that reinforcements could move up and consolidate the position. Again fighting desperately against a renewed onslaught later that same morning when a hostile grenade landed in a shallow entrenchment occupied by wounded Marines, Private Cafferata rushed into the gully under heavy fire, seized the deadly missile in his right hand and hurled it free of his comrades before it detonated, severing part of one finger and seriously wounding him in the right hand and arm. Courageously ignoring the intense pain, he staunchly fought on until he was struck by a sniper's bullet and forced to submit to evacuation for medical treatment. Stouthearted and indomitable, Private Cafferata, by his fortitude, great personal valor and dauntless perseverance in the face of almost certain death, saved the lives of several of his fellow Marines and contributed essentially to the success achieved by his company in maintaining its defensive position against tremendous odds. His extraordinary heroism throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Harry S. Truman
President of the United States
Pretty amazing. I would definitely recommend "The Last Stand Of Fox Company."
Monday, December 8, 2014
37 - Total Truth, Nancy Pearcey, 512 pages
Well I have to admit, I read this one awhile ago and have just been putting off a book review for this long. But as I'm nearing the end of the year, I figured I should get on it!
First of all, this is a fantastic book. Pearcy asks the question, can a Christian be a politician, businessman, or even a hard working American and still make an impact in our culture as a Christian? Or does one have to be a minister, pastor, or missionary to make a dent in the cultural war? She advocates the adoption of a Christian worldview that is necessary for all Christians. A worldview, she explains, is something that is innate within us. It’s something that we all possess and it contains how we perceive the world. She says,
“But the purpose of a worldview is to explain the data of experience-not to deny it. Any philosophical system that fails to offer a plausible account of our sense of personal selfhood should be rejected as inadequate… Only Christianity, with its teaching of a personal Creator, provides an adequate metaphysical explanation of our irreducible experience of personhood. It alone accounts for the raw material of experience within a comprehensive worldview. In the modern world, with its large, impersonal institutions where people are treated as ciphers in the machine, the Christian message is good news indeed."
She teaches that a person who has adopted an evolutionary worldview see's the world as a dog-eat-dog environment: the process of natural selection has told us that we need to do whatever we can to get ahead even if it means we are morally reprehensible. She says,
“The historic Christian conception of morality rests on a cognitive claim about human nature. Its says humans were designed for a purpose - to be conformed to spiritual ideals of holiness and perfection, so that we may live in love with God and our fellow creatures. Moral rules are simply the instructions telling us how to fulfill those ideals… In the Fall we went off the track, but in salvation God puts us back on course and empowers us to resume the journey to developing our full humanity… Under the Darwinian regime, however, the very concept of purpose or teleology has come under attack. For if the world itself was not designed, then there can be no design or purpose for human life either. Morality is reduced to a product of biology- an expression of our subjective desires and impulse, programmed into us by natural selection.”
She also dedicates a chapter to discussing what has gone wrong with the Church: her finds correlate with my book review on David F. Wells’ book, “The Courage to be Protestant”. I perhaps have some disagreements with Pearcey here. In almost an afterthought, she says that part of the problem with evangelicalism is rooted in the dismissal of men in the home. In earlier times, men worked out of the home but since the industrial revolution, they go off for many hours to factories and office spaces to work. This has left a gap in the family that has caused a feminization of Evangelicalism. This, combined with the preaching styles of such famous men as George Whitefield, has reduced Christianity to an emotional outpouring instead of a balanced approach of emotion that is under the reign of intellectualism. She says some strange things, almost critical, of men like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield. But Edwards tried to defend against excessive emotionalism so this argument is confusing. I would recommend Wells' book in order to understand this dynamic more.
Don't let that chase you away from "Total Truth." I would say this is almost an essential book for Christians everywhere.
Sunday, December 7, 2014
36 - Why We're Not Emergent, By Two Guys Who Should Be, Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck, 256 pages
Kevin DeYoung is an interesting character in evangelical Christianity. Coming from a strong reformed tradition, he is turning heads by becoming involved in big projects with the Gospel Coalition. He considers himself "Young, Restless, and Reformed," a movement that stems from millennial's coming into the Church holding onto important tenants such as expository preaching and election.
Interestingly enough, the early 2000's produced a movement of evangelical Christians that tried to appeal to millennials by producing hip pastors with soul patches, fancy coffee drinks, and contemporary music. Most importantly, they embraced existentialism and shy away from strict doctrinal stances that seem to them an anachronism. This movement was called the "Emergent Church," and for awhile they posed a great threat to Christian Orthodoxy.
DeYoung partners with Ted Kluck to investigate this movement, what they believe (or don't believe) and how it is effecting Evangelical Christianity. They admit it is a hard task to undertake. Perhaps this is because emergents are unequivocally mysterious about what they claim to believe in particularly on doctrinal issues. For example, no where can you read Brian McLaren's stance on homosexuality. Is it right or is it wrong? Emergents thrive on ambiguity and embrace spirituality, not religion. They are big proponents of the social gospel: the thought that making a change in the world by doing is better than sitting in coffee shops debating theology. Theology and doctrine are the enemies to the emergent. What does it matter if you deny the trinity? What does it matter you deny the virgin birth? Shouldn't Christians be getting out and showing the love of Jesus instead of sitting on their knowledge, their fat, obese intellect, and doing nothing for the world?
DeYoung provides an interesting look at the Church at the very end of the book. He comments on the Churches from Revelation. These Churches were real at one time and had these problems he lists, but the metaphorical nature of the Church can help diagnose problems in our Churches today. He essentially breaks down a swing which is too extreme in both cases: in the first, churches are too intellectual and have little emotion, like the church at Ephesus who "lost [their] first love." On the other side, there are churches that are seemingly alive with emotion, but are dead in the way of knowledge, to which Christ responds, "I know all the things you do, and you have a reputation for being alive - but you are dead!" Both of these examples contribute to the widening divide between the stuffy churches of yesterday who are content with taking but not giving and the charismatic upheaval seen in recent years, particularly influenced by churches attempting to please millennials in a convoluted way to lull them back to the church, from the opposite spectrum.
Fortunately, the most attended churches today are those who have: 1) a strong position on what truth is, and 2) doctrine and not emotionalism in the sermons. This is encouraging because remember, DeYoung wrote this book in the hay-day of the emergent church. What we have seen since then is a rapid disintegration of the threat of emergents. This is good news, but not all is good: complacency kills, as the Marine Corps preaches, and we need to be on guard and on the lookout for dangers that threaten the truthfulness of Christianity and seek to displace the authority of the Bible in exchange for popular belief.
Friday, December 5, 2014
35 - Debt Of Honor, Tom Clancy, 1008 pages
I want to preface this entry with a thank you: Over the past 11 months, I've had over 800 views on this blog. Wow! Thanks to everyone for reading as I finish up my first 52 book challenge. To give you an update: I am about 12 books out on the year but almost all of those are partially completed. So I'm hoping I'll make it to 52. The real struggle has been this entries because it takes time and energy to complete them. I have been really busy in the last month trying to get caught up, so here's to that as well!
I returned to fiction for about two weeks as I read through the largest book of the year. At 1008 pages, Tom Clancy's thriller was a satisfying book to complete. Because of it's length however, it was all entertaining.
The essence of plot revolves around a Japanese business man who begins to buy up large chunks of land in Saipan. A lot of the book revolves around economics, so the first half is pretty dry. Essentially, he wants to throw American Economy into turmoil, and does so by manipulating the stock market by secretly installing a program that destroys all evidence of every trade made after 1200 PM on a Friday. Our protagonist, Jack Ryan, works to undo all of the chaos that enthralls him, including the threat of nuclear weapons that Japanese placed strategically in Russia.
Of course, this is about as much information I can tell without ruining the story. for a 1008 page book, there is a lot more that goes unsaid. As far as I can tell, most Clancy novels start very slow. He has to set up all the intricate details that make his novels entertaining. But this one takes the cake: I would rather not read about all the ways a criminal businessman sets up American economy for a fall while his rises. But I suppose it's a give and take.
Tom Clancy had come under fire from various organizations (mostly federal entities like the CIA and the FBI) for seemingly being able to "predict the future," most importantly, the post-9/11 policies of American. Without giving too much away here, you can read this article from Time, which depicts four scenarios that Clancy wrote about that came true. For a while, many thought that Clancy had to submit his books to the FBI before they were published, but I have not found any concrete evidence that this is true. After his death, the FBI released Clancy's file that showed he was sought after as a private consultant, which you can read more about here.
In any case, if you're looking for a thriller, any novel by Tom Clancy is definitely my recommendation.
I returned to fiction for about two weeks as I read through the largest book of the year. At 1008 pages, Tom Clancy's thriller was a satisfying book to complete. Because of it's length however, it was all entertaining.
The essence of plot revolves around a Japanese business man who begins to buy up large chunks of land in Saipan. A lot of the book revolves around economics, so the first half is pretty dry. Essentially, he wants to throw American Economy into turmoil, and does so by manipulating the stock market by secretly installing a program that destroys all evidence of every trade made after 1200 PM on a Friday. Our protagonist, Jack Ryan, works to undo all of the chaos that enthralls him, including the threat of nuclear weapons that Japanese placed strategically in Russia.
Of course, this is about as much information I can tell without ruining the story. for a 1008 page book, there is a lot more that goes unsaid. As far as I can tell, most Clancy novels start very slow. He has to set up all the intricate details that make his novels entertaining. But this one takes the cake: I would rather not read about all the ways a criminal businessman sets up American economy for a fall while his rises. But I suppose it's a give and take.
Tom Clancy had come under fire from various organizations (mostly federal entities like the CIA and the FBI) for seemingly being able to "predict the future," most importantly, the post-9/11 policies of American. Without giving too much away here, you can read this article from Time, which depicts four scenarios that Clancy wrote about that came true. For a while, many thought that Clancy had to submit his books to the FBI before they were published, but I have not found any concrete evidence that this is true. After his death, the FBI released Clancy's file that showed he was sought after as a private consultant, which you can read more about here.
In any case, if you're looking for a thriller, any novel by Tom Clancy is definitely my recommendation.
Thursday, December 4, 2014
34 - The Last Battle: When U.S. and German Soldiers Joined Forces in the Waning Hours of World War II in Europe, Stephen Harding, 256 pages
I've read multiple books this year about WWII, and even more than discuss the implications of post-WWII life in the economic, political, and social realms. The latest book I've read from this era was about the invasion on Omaha Beach by the Big Red. Stephen Harding's book, however, takes place in the little village of Schloss Itter (e's sound like a's in German and r's at the end of a word are silent, so this is pronounced "Scholhs Itta"), Austria. The exposition of this story begins in the waning days of WWII, as the Nazi's are in full retreat admist the invasion from both the Soviets from the East and the Americans from the West. Harding touts the battle for Itter Castle the last, if unlikely, battle in the European Theater during WWII.
Itter Castle was transformed into a Nazi political prisoner camp in the early 1940's, but was not completed until much later in the war. It held high ranking political prisoners, mostly French, and their families. While WWII raged on, these prisoners lived in a somewhat comfortable manner compared to the Jews being slaughtered in nearby Dachau Concentration Camp.
During the last days of the war, Itter Castle was left unguarded by Nazi SS troops, leaving the political prisoners a chance to arm themselves and wait for Americans who were about a days journey from Schloss Itter. Luckily, an unlikely hero came to the rescue, one Major Joseph Gangl, formerly a Nazi Officer. He and some Nazi soldiers contacted Lt. John, "Jack" Lee of the 23rd Tank Battalion, B Company, who provided one tank in the defense of Itter Castle temporarily until the reinforcements arrived.
The SS troops ruthlessly attacked Itter Castle, unaware that former Nazi soldiers were aiding the political prisoners. Tragically, in the most moving section of the book, Major Joseph Gangl was killed in action, perhaps the last combat casualty of WWII. The ragtag group of defenders were able to hold out until the brunt of the American forces were able to eradicate the threat of SS troops.
Cracked.com posted an article entitled, "5 Shocking Ways Enemies Worked Together During War," and, to no one's suprise, the way Lee and Gangl worked together came in at number 2. This really is a beautiful story and Harding's scholarship is unprecedented, as I've talked about before. It's truly sad to realize more people do not know this story. Hopefully, through Harding's book, the heroic details of the last battle in Europe will live on in infamy.
Itter Castle was transformed into a Nazi political prisoner camp in the early 1940's, but was not completed until much later in the war. It held high ranking political prisoners, mostly French, and their families. While WWII raged on, these prisoners lived in a somewhat comfortable manner compared to the Jews being slaughtered in nearby Dachau Concentration Camp.
During the last days of the war, Itter Castle was left unguarded by Nazi SS troops, leaving the political prisoners a chance to arm themselves and wait for Americans who were about a days journey from Schloss Itter. Luckily, an unlikely hero came to the rescue, one Major Joseph Gangl, formerly a Nazi Officer. He and some Nazi soldiers contacted Lt. John, "Jack" Lee of the 23rd Tank Battalion, B Company, who provided one tank in the defense of Itter Castle temporarily until the reinforcements arrived.
The SS troops ruthlessly attacked Itter Castle, unaware that former Nazi soldiers were aiding the political prisoners. Tragically, in the most moving section of the book, Major Joseph Gangl was killed in action, perhaps the last combat casualty of WWII. The ragtag group of defenders were able to hold out until the brunt of the American forces were able to eradicate the threat of SS troops.
Cracked.com posted an article entitled, "5 Shocking Ways Enemies Worked Together During War," and, to no one's suprise, the way Lee and Gangl worked together came in at number 2. This really is a beautiful story and Harding's scholarship is unprecedented, as I've talked about before. It's truly sad to realize more people do not know this story. Hopefully, through Harding's book, the heroic details of the last battle in Europe will live on in infamy.
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
33 - My Men Are My Heroes: The Brad Kasal Story, Nathaniel R. Helms, 288 pages
Over the past month, I have read three other such novels like "My Men Are My Heroes," and I have to say, this is the best one. I believe it does justice to the genre: a holistic story combined with stunning scholarship.
Let me say that again: scholarship. The writer, Nathaniel Helms, interviewed multiple former active duty Marines to in a stunning interplay that gives credibility to the brilliant story of Brad Kasal. Even during the flashbacks to Kasal's childhood, Helms lists several individuals (such as the old principal at his school and his high school buddies) who are crucial in painting the picture of Brad Kasal.
Kasal is most well known for a picture snapped in the waning days of Operation Phantom Fury (the second assault on the city of Fallujah) where he is bloody mess, being carried by two Marines with a pistol in his right hand, finger off the trigger (as seen here). While I was at Marine Combat Training at the School of Infantry, SgtMaj Kasal (1st Sgt Kasal during Operation Enduring Freedom, or the Iraq War) was the SgtMaj for SOI. I was unaware of the history behind this man who obviously loves Marines. SgtMaj Kasal's legacy will live on after a memorial was dedicated to Kasal in honor of this most famous picture and is now located outside the Hope and Cares Center in Camp LeJune, NC to motivate wounded warriors battling the realty of post-war injuries.
As I have said, this book is very well written. Helms takes you through the day to day of Operation Phantom Fury, making you feel as if you are on the ground with the Marines. He goes into much detail of what Phantom Fury consisted of and what the daily grind must have looked like to the Marines from an operational standpoint. But Kasal is known for his courage in the "hell house," as the iconic picture says, and this is merely the crescendo of the entire book with just one and a half chapters dedicated to it. What you don't know about Kasal is probably the grueling post-injury recovery process that Helms delves into a bit at the end of the book. This is probably the most disappointing aspect of the book. It seems as if the entire book is leading up to this one event that the information surrounding it pales in comparison.
At the end of the book, Brad Kasal writes a personal note to those who have picked it up and made it that far. He says,
"Throughout this entire ordeal from the time of being wounded until I was medically evacuated close to an hour later, and despite the multiple wounds and loss of blood, I never lost consciousness or quit my post while guarding that doorway. While some may call this heroic, I just it call loyalty. It was because I loved the Marine next to me that I was determined to do anything it took to keep him alive, even at my own risk. He would have done the same for me. It's called being a Marine - we're all brothers and a family. Many times since my injuries occurred, people have labeled me a hero. I beg to differ - I believe the true heroes that day were Sergeant Robert Mitchell, Corporal Schaeffer, and Corporal Marquez, Prive Justin Boswood, and the men of Kilo 3/1 and Weapons Co., 1st CAAT section, who fought to get us all out of the building now called the 'house of hell.' I will forever be indebted to these fine professionals."
From a Christian worldview, this brings to mind John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." Brad Kasal, whether he is a Christian or not, typifies the love Christ showed us for laying down his life on the cross for our behalf and we are in turn to show others.
Let me say that again: scholarship. The writer, Nathaniel Helms, interviewed multiple former active duty Marines to in a stunning interplay that gives credibility to the brilliant story of Brad Kasal. Even during the flashbacks to Kasal's childhood, Helms lists several individuals (such as the old principal at his school and his high school buddies) who are crucial in painting the picture of Brad Kasal.
Kasal is most well known for a picture snapped in the waning days of Operation Phantom Fury (the second assault on the city of Fallujah) where he is bloody mess, being carried by two Marines with a pistol in his right hand, finger off the trigger (as seen here). While I was at Marine Combat Training at the School of Infantry, SgtMaj Kasal (1st Sgt Kasal during Operation Enduring Freedom, or the Iraq War) was the SgtMaj for SOI. I was unaware of the history behind this man who obviously loves Marines. SgtMaj Kasal's legacy will live on after a memorial was dedicated to Kasal in honor of this most famous picture and is now located outside the Hope and Cares Center in Camp LeJune, NC to motivate wounded warriors battling the realty of post-war injuries.
As I have said, this book is very well written. Helms takes you through the day to day of Operation Phantom Fury, making you feel as if you are on the ground with the Marines. He goes into much detail of what Phantom Fury consisted of and what the daily grind must have looked like to the Marines from an operational standpoint. But Kasal is known for his courage in the "hell house," as the iconic picture says, and this is merely the crescendo of the entire book with just one and a half chapters dedicated to it. What you don't know about Kasal is probably the grueling post-injury recovery process that Helms delves into a bit at the end of the book. This is probably the most disappointing aspect of the book. It seems as if the entire book is leading up to this one event that the information surrounding it pales in comparison.
At the end of the book, Brad Kasal writes a personal note to those who have picked it up and made it that far. He says,
"Throughout this entire ordeal from the time of being wounded until I was medically evacuated close to an hour later, and despite the multiple wounds and loss of blood, I never lost consciousness or quit my post while guarding that doorway. While some may call this heroic, I just it call loyalty. It was because I loved the Marine next to me that I was determined to do anything it took to keep him alive, even at my own risk. He would have done the same for me. It's called being a Marine - we're all brothers and a family. Many times since my injuries occurred, people have labeled me a hero. I beg to differ - I believe the true heroes that day were Sergeant Robert Mitchell, Corporal Schaeffer, and Corporal Marquez, Prive Justin Boswood, and the men of Kilo 3/1 and Weapons Co., 1st CAAT section, who fought to get us all out of the building now called the 'house of hell.' I will forever be indebted to these fine professionals."
From a Christian worldview, this brings to mind John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." Brad Kasal, whether he is a Christian or not, typifies the love Christ showed us for laying down his life on the cross for our behalf and we are in turn to show others.
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